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Tranquility: Reader Review
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sasha sent me this cute picture and her thoughts on the Isle of Tranquility Hunt. Her great looking dress here is from *amerie's NAUGHTY* MainShop -- Isle of Tranquility 43/145/26 which might be a good starting place.
There is a board in the courtyard of the complex that shows you all the prizes. Sasha reports that they are all good and that the earrings she is wearing but that you can't see here from +*Atelier AM*+ are especially lovely.
Here are her hints on this challenging hunt.
The apples are in PILES and change color depending on the store. So there are like five apples in piles that are silver or green or gold. The apples themselves are SMALL (like crab apples) and I was looking for something larger at first. Once you find one it is easier. I didn't see a "sample - this is what you are looking for" anywhere near the explanation board; that would have been helpful.
All but one apple pile is in the shop it goes with. One is in the canal area (that isn't a big hint as there are a lot of canals). Several people have reported that the apples weren't visible for them early yesterday. Not sure what that was about but they were OK for me late Tuesday night.
The prizes are all lovely and while I have no idea what I might do with a clothes washing line, it is SO cute! So I put it in the photo.
Tesla amd Pixeldolls
I know that the whole blogosphere will be posting on these outfits but I will post anyway because:
- I want to give credit to two of our most generous designers.
- My friend took the time to take these photos and send them to me (wink). AND she did a fine job too.
Mechanism - - WOOT!
After three months and a hundred posts or so, I don't get too excited too often. But here I am excited. Yeah!
First of all, I want to be clear the Mechanism -- Kmadd Enterprise 187/240/26 --is a MENS store. Secondly, any decent fashionista knows that means NOTHING. And indeed there was another lady in the shop when I arrived. The jackets you are seeing above are some of the items from the free box. From the photos on the vendors I am sure they look AS GOOD on men - LOL.
Kobe Flatley opened on Friday and had his first Fashcon (Fashion Consolidated) post today sans LM. There was still a group of wise sleuths looking through his goods. The jackets are especially nice. There are pants and Tees also along with some accessories.
The free box items -- especially the latex jacket shown with the Hexed outfit many of you now own and the two toned tan opened jacket below -- are exceptionally nice (read that as nicer than many purchased garments).
So get DOWN there and get your honey down there if you have one.
Later: I got Wonder to go over and get the jackets so you could see what they look like on a (sigh) guy - wink. Thanks a bunch, Wonder! (He is NOT very fashion conscious.) LOL
Other credits: (Chic) Dress by Hexed, Jeans by WRONG. (Wonder) Pants by Nuclear Boutique, glasses by Digital Dragon.
Discord Designs 2 for 1L
Discord Designs -- Synchronicity 190/171/29 --has a new dollarbie (for two similar colors in a pack) out. Both color demos and style demos are available. The other hairs seem be be very reasonably priced. I like the two color pack idea as I hardly ever wear many of the colors included in some of the mega packs. Less "stuff" in my inventory that way. So if this looks like a style that would work for you, or if you just want to check out some of their other hair (and there are some cute ones here), drop on over and take a look.
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Monday, April 28, 2008
Raeva's -- ModusVivendi 129/136/55 --is a small -- new to Fashcon -- boutique with limited stock but some real promise. She currently has a bright and cheery outfit to give away for a dollar. Find it at the very front of the store when you come in. Note -- there are TWO dresses to click on. Each dress has both versions so no need to buy both. The items are mod so if you don't like the full sleeves they are easy to tighten up. Her dresses all seem to be $50 which seems like a pretty good value judging from this dress. So take a look and see if she has something you would like.
I personally didn't think the brown skirt went well with this top as there is no "brown" in the top to coordinate, Still it is a good skirt for mix and matching with other tops and a nice bonus.
Beware. The TP point takes you to a club and you need to jump over the balcony and down to get to her shop. Plenty of people were finding it tonight though, so I bet you can too.
Samara's Halter Sets
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies, shopping, showcase review
Samara just sent out a gift to the existing members of her update group (interesting :D). A tan version of her newest release, the fabrics reminded me of tropical rain forests, lost temples and Indiana Jones. So -- I blinked on over to the jungles of Mexico to take some photos.
There is a beautifully flowing long skirt with two layers of fabric, some "city shorts" with prim legs, some slacks, regular shorts, and a halter top (on three layer) that will go with MANY things.
I wore my Untied Sandals (from Samara) and the Timetraveler necklace I camped for at Magika one evening not too long ago. Many great possibilities of layering here and adding to also. THANK YOU SAMARA for a great set of clothes that make me feel adventurous. Find them in navy, rose, teal and green at Samara Studios -- Gembong West/233/104/31.
Assorted Freebies - Sunday
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Sunday, April 27, 2008
One LAST post of the day to let you know that:
- Nuclear Boutique has the Sassy Sweater in Dove (light gray) as it's free items of the week. I have had this sweater for awhile now from a hunt and REALLY LOVE IT! It goes with so much and has a very nice cowl sculpty neckline.
- Piece of Candy has new Dollarbies out as well as new hunt items. I picked up my favorite of the dollarbies as well as a skin (Rory - peach).
- Mela's has a new freebie skin called Sakura Sorceress (even the name is exotic).
- SEY has a new necklace in one of the group camp chairs this week. 15 minutes.
Happy Sisters :D
Seasons and Facets are having a grand opening and hunt. Find them at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Henrietta/87/97/130
In my opinion this is a very good hunt BECAUSE:
- The items to find are not HIDDEN per se. They are in plain view. You do not need camera control skills or the use of wireframe mode to find them (yeah).
- The items are very nice and you are likely to find something that you will want to keep -- or maybe you may want to keep it ALL and that works too.
- The stores are roomy and tasteful and there was plenty to look at while searching.
So far as the hunt goes, you are looking for small picture of two women -- the happy sisters -- a bit larger than a playing card. They are fairly obvious so you shouldn't have much trouble. There are 8 prizes in all with most being multi-pieced. Here are some of my favorites.
There are shoes and jewelry in both stores and clothing in one. Enjoy!
Be sure and teleport to the second floor. There is a smallish elevator type button that gets you there. That's a hint.
Cassiopeia Isle
I saw a post that there was an event going on at Cassiopeia Isle so I ventured over to see what I could find to show you.
First up is a very cute dress from LVS & Co. -- Cassiopeia Isle 225/25/22. It comes in MANY colors (see photo below) and comes with a cute pail with many details.
Now there appears to be some problems with this dress, but it may simply be my new release candidate viewer (the only one that works for me at the moment). But things to look out for would be 1. a seemingly INVISIBLE underskirt. It comes on as a skirt for a second and then disappears. I tried this with a purple one also with the same problem. 2. One of the inside panels of the skirt has reverted to orange and when I tried to unlink it and modify it, I could not. Again, this may be my client and you may be able to fix. I have read on the blogs that this is happening a lot so it is no reflection on the designer, just our VERY tough month of April.
Even if you ONLY buy this for the top, hat and pail it is a good deal. Note that there are no pants so you might want to make some in the appearance editor. I suspect that the ORANGE version of this doesen't have the inner texture problem. Shown with shoes by Tesla.
A bit of wandering found a variety of free and dollarbie items including something from Nissa Nightfire of our blog! Fun. I only bought a few things to show you as I really don't need much and many things looked nice but were not my style. Here are a couple more things you might want to look for at the marketplace.
Elate! -- Cassiopeia Isle 159/187/22 -- has some cute dresses for $1 for ALL THREE. Mint is show here. The other colors are teal and rose (same pattern). The vendor is hanging out front with the dresses on hangers. It is slightly retro and nicely made.
Splashing Doll -- (sorry no Cassiopeia Isle LM but it is near LVS & Co I believe) has two skins for $1. This one has lovely lips and other nice qualities. The other comes with blue violet (blueberry?) lipstick. Note that the swimsuit is NOT at Cassiopeia. It is from SWA's lucky chair (may no longer be available there).
Again there are LOTS of very obvious free and dollarbie items around, so just wander a bit and see what appeals to you. There are furniture stores, shape shops and art galleries intermingled with the clothing stores. Enjoy!
Lisa Marie's Firenight Lingerie
Lisa Marie's --Barks 20/120/24 -- is giving out an extremely fine bra and panties set in rose. The details are amazing. Her work is always lovely and she has some very cute overalls as well as some dresses (find them upstairs). So take a look around.
There is also a freebie box right below the lingerie box. It has some nice jeans as well as some tops. One set is shown here. This top is transparent and so today's gift goes particularly well as an underlayer.
A reader sent me a landmark to Shameless - Vicious Island 165, 94, 22 -- and said there was a new free outfit that I might want to check out. I arrived and while searching for the outfit in the picture she sent I found a plethora (I so love that word) of very nice free tops, pants and coordinates. Simply wander around the store and look for large pink arrows denoting the free items.
There are many cute outfits here and while the name seems to suggest something else, the freebies anyway were very tame. Many had cute animals or hearts on the tops. So, keeping in theme, I headed over to a kids park I had found yesterday. You got it -- serendipity!
Here are only SOME of the many free items (lots of tops not shown). Most all the outfits I saw for sale were $100 so the prices are very reasonable. Most for sale items include very short skirts and a bit more daring designs which may be why these items are now free.
There are pants, costumes and a few things for men also. Oh, and boots. Who KNOWS what I might have missed. Be sure and go upstairs also.
Violet Voltaire's New Digs
Posted by Chic Aeon in shopping on Friday, April 25, 2008
I've just come from the opening of Violet Voltaire's new shop in Haven Shire -- Haven Shire 89/218/22. The shop is VIOLET (well of course) and beautifully done. The elegant spiral stairway leads to discount merchandise with lots of cute hats and accessories while the main floor holds the newer merchandise. There is plenty of room to grow here as well as some lovely albeit a bit spooky landscaping (I really liked it). The whole sim is worth some wandering.
While I was there, Violet was giving out this lovely necklace that goes perfectly with the Lucky Chair prize of yesterday from Silent Sparrow. There are matching earrings too! Just love that serendipity! Stop by and visit if you get a chance. If you are into bows, there are some new ones on special as you first walk in the door.
Angels at Sn@tch
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Thursday, April 24, 2008
Well FALLEN Angels anyway. This IS Sn@tch — Pulse 175/219/30 — after all. This week's group gift includes a cropped T with a nice Fallen Angel design as well as some Punk Band Pants in black with very cool textures (unisex). And there is something (not quite so tasteful but who said guys want that anyway?) for the guys too. Think body parts and dimensions here - LOL. So if this looks of interest, sign up at the SubscribeOMatic so that you know when the new items are out and on the wall. It was packed tonight when I ventured over. Lots of good things in the lucky chair also. Thanks Ivey!
Shown with Hexed belt from today's lovely gift and ::69 Nightmare heels.
Hexed in Black and White
It's easy to wander into a designer's store, find things you like and sign up at the SubscribeOmatic. It is also easy to forget WHO you have signed up with -- especially if you don't get any messages - LOL.
Well as I was taking photos for the Silent Sparrow article, a message came in from Hexed saying that she hadn't sent out any notices in awhile and here was a gift. Honestly? I couldn't remember just who Hexed was, but assumed I had signed up so I accepted the attachment. Later on opening I found the cutest box with a picture of the garment on it. I was VERY excited from the photo to try it on.
It is SO cute and very "me". So I zipped over to an appropriate sim and took this photo. And happily after trying on the gift, I remembered both the designer and the shop -- and it was a VERY long time ago in virtual terms so I don't feel too bad for forgetting.
Anyway, if this looks like something YOU would like, venture over to Hexed -- Hex 123/99/39 and take a look.
Shown with :: 69 Nightmare heels.
The Chair - The Chair: Silent Sparrow
From posts by fellows on the blogs I knew the chair had changed at Silent Sparrow -- silent sparrow 201/88/21. And since I hadn't seen any posts of girlie things, I assumed (oh so wrongfully) that the chair had an outfit for men that women of course could wear. I had even glanced to see if it was my letter once as I passed by on a photo shoot the other day. But today I HAD A MESSAGE!
OK. So you don't believe in ESP and the like maybe, but I do. I TPed over to Silent Sparrow and walked over to the chair (by the stairs in case you don't know) and it was a "C". I actually WAS pretty surprised but it didn't stop me from hopping on.
There is a whole collection of mix and match goodies in the chair. I am showing only some here and also some that I altered in the Appearance and Build menus. Happily everything I attempted to modify was modify. Yeah! (insert clapping here). So we have a very pretty dress with lots of texturing detail and patterns. I am wearing the corset as well as the tutu skirt (darkened to match the color of the corset). I also have the bloomers on which normally go to where the stockings end. Being a bit more modern than many of hyasynth's fans I opted to make a copy and save a pair as short glitch pants. The stockings have cute details on the back. The bloomers look very cute just with the corset BTW.
There is also a jabot collar and some short gloves (not shown). The menswear outfit of course works fine for ladies also -- especially if you add the frilly cuffs.
Shown with :: 69 Nightmare heels.
WRONG Jeans: Review
Posted by Chic Aeon in shopping, showcase review on Tuesday, April 22, 2008
It would be easy to say that you can't go wrong with WRONG jeans. And I am SURE it has been said before -- maybe many, many times. Still, it is true. Kaysha Sion, maker of these lovely jeans sent them to me this morning under less than auspicious circumstances. Still, she invited me to review them and they are easy to review. They are simply GREAT! Beautifully rendered with loving details, they could indeed become your favorite jeans.
Now, just with all things, they may not be great for everyone. They are LOW low riders (gaspingly so for some of you I suspect). Even so, with a bit of ingenuity, they can still be one of your favorite pair of casual pants. All you need is a long top or a set of "undershirt and undies" masquerading as a tucked in top and you are set.
Photo Credits: Get Lucky shirt by LaLa FooFoo, Estella heels by Tesla
:::: Crushed Cotton Tied Shirt by Body Polik, Wooden Wedges ICING
:::: Wild Child top by Sn@tch, Untied Sandals by Shoes Simply Shoes.
These jeans can go from casual to breathtakingly daring. They come in plain, faded, ripped, black splotched and dirty. And for the life of me, I can't figure out which is my favorite. It seems to be which ever one I have on!
Photo Credits: Dark Eden Gray Latex Jacket, ::69 Nightmare heels
:::: ETD Layered Tee (magenta) over Nuclear Boutique Sassy top, Untied Sandals from Shoes Simply Shoes.
Dress them up, dress them down. Cover up or get close to naked. These are simply GREAT JEANS!
WRONG - AlterNation 190/154/38
Dark Eden
By now, if you read the blogs faithfully -- or simply look at the pictures -- you know that Dark Eden is relocating to Olive --Olive 163/232/41. When I saw their post yesterday about their new store, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a camp chair. And, since I really love camp chairs as they are a kind of "pay for your prize" option, I went over to check BOTH the chair and the new store.
I will say the new store is very roomy and easy to find things in. I love the colors and the patterns on the wall. It seemed large enough for now and the not too distant future. I hope this move works well for them. Indeed there are two camping chairs and I chose to sit for the Gray Latex Jacket which is available for purchase in a variety of other brilliant colors. It comes in two sizes. Since I am 6 feet and not super thin, the regular size fit me perfectly with no adjustments needed at all. Yeah!
While I was sitting for my 45 minutes I had plenty of time to cruise the store with my camera controls. I was SO taken with this display I just had to take a snapshot. The model is beautiful, the outfits colorful and the display very tasteful. What more could you ask for in marketing.
Jacket in hand, I left the store to find that I had very little to wear it with. Oh NO! That inventory cleaning may have left me a little skimpy in some areas, but what I have left are favorites so that is a GOOD thing all in all. Anyway, serendipity came to the rescue this morning with a folder of low (low) riser jeans from WRONG. They will be commented on in detail in another post, but I felt they went very well with the jacket. Enough excitement to keep them from being boring, simple enough to show off the jacket. Now I think I need some DANGLY earrings! (wink).
Dark Eden Gray Latex Jacket
WRONG Splattered Jeans (black)
::69 Nightmare heels
SD Love Me Knot hair
ANA_MATIONS Vixen AO
Posted by Chic Aeon in comment
I am literally heading out the door in real life but want to post that I just received a note from Kaysha Sion of WRONG that "You may not be aware, but your latest blog entry at (http://chicatphilsplace.blogspot.com/2008/04/monday-monday.html) is reviewing stolen content from a store with a pending DMCA. "
I of course did not know and have no knowledge about this but I am posting big photos of my butt so that you can have a look for yourself. I will happily blog the jeans from WRONG that were sent a bit later as I have NO TIME right now.
Earth Day - SSF
Samara Studios just sent out an Earth Day gift to the group. Some very cute Gecko fabric beach shoes with matching meditation pillow. AND for anyone who has a home, there is a copyable solar panel (two prims).
It's a beautiful, sunny day in my corner of SL -- if not in my real world so I had a great excuse to finally unpack the bikini bundle I won in a lucky chair at SWA ages ago.
THANK YOU Samara Studios -- Gembong West 229/143/31 -- and Second Wave Apparel -- Plush Omicron 168/221/34. Woot!
Oh, the notice said there were also sandals for guys if there any out there in the group. I think we are most all women however.
Posted by Chic Aeon in fashion shows
[12 PM inworld time] The fashion show at Rezzable Cascade Fashion Center is about ready to begin. Amongst the Beautiful People -- who really are impressive (smile), it is difficult not to inspect every prim to see who made what. I am being as classy as possible however and keeping my right clicks to myself.
The showcase is gorgeous with shades of cobalt and aqua ice surrounding us all. There are men here also which is a nice mix of energies. The showcase itself seems coolly masculine and is a lovely backdrop for dramatic clothing. All photos use the regional default settings, so hopefully the colors are close to what the designers intended you to see.
Designers included Moxie Polano, Callie Cline, Forda Fairlane. Since even looking back at my chat, I cannot be certain who made what in all cases, I will simply let you go explore the new stores at Rezzable's Cascade Fashion Center.
Be sure and where your jacket. It is icy there (wink).
Here are some photo highlights of the show:
Monday - Monday
Lots of news out there on the blogs today, and while yesterday was another problematic weekend at Phil's Place, it was personally very rewarding for me. Thanks so much for those of you that bothered to post or IM me with positive comments. I really do appreciate it.
So taking a deep breath. Here goes MONDAY ---
Mewf Demina is leaving Free Speerit --Quest III 156/151/22 -- and giving away her hair styles before she exits the building. I got there before the sim was full (chuckle) and grabbed fat packs of my favorite styles. There are quite a few to choose from so there should be one that looks good for everyone. Not all head shapes take to all styles as I am sure you know by now :D Shown here is Lyrlia in mahogany,
Thanks to SL Freestyle who now seems to be posting in Babbler? (maybe Japanese?) too - I found some nice overalls at the Rahz store -- Dentro 204/8/108. These are EXTREMELY NICE overalls. They are indeed dark blue denim with lots of hand drawn details. I tried to show you all that in the rear view (wink) but the front is just as nice.
ICING - Sangria Sunrise
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Saturday, April 19, 2008
A friend of mine just sent me this lovely picture of the newest Icing -- Mischief 131/157/24 -- group gift called Sangria Sunrise. What GORGEOUS colors. It was snowing at my house (and hale) today so I really appreciate the bright colors. If this looks like an outfit you would love, then check out the Icing Group.
Shop :SEY hits 700!
Shop :SEY --Honmoku 156/53/34 -- set out a gift for its now 700 members. A very appropriate T shirt (jacket layer only) with a 7 on it and the L.O.K.E. logo. Fitting for both guys and gals. Find it near the coffee table. You can ALSO camp for this newish (I haven't been there for awhile so not sure of the timing) VERY detailed bangle bracelet in leather. Comes in sizes for both guys and gals. Sit 15 minutes with your group tag on to get it. You can also camp for other items.
Also shown are my Bloody Mess jeans from Sn@tch -- Pulse 175/219/30 -- part of this week's on the wall hunt. Untied sandals from Shoes Simply Shoes (not free) complete this morning's outfit.
Envy Lingerie
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Friday, April 18, 2008
Want to heat up your love life just a bit? Envy lingerie in Sangria is currently free at Nuclear Boutique -- Archipelago Wild 192/77/402. And it is SO lovely!
Love Not War + Shades
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Just wanted to report a couple of great new designer free items. First there is a Love Not War tank from Rave Nation -- Candyland 28/214/27. Bright and summery with a good slogan (IMHO). Works for me. The tank is over with the other free items in a TINY box, near the OnRez etc. boxes not far from the door.
And, as serendipity would have it, Whimsical Creations -- Taber 100/204/22 -- just put up some really cute sunglasses. The free pair is in pink and matches the shirt very nicely. They also come in a variety of other colors for $75. The glasses are a bit hard to find and this is mostly a furniture store but they are directly in front of the entrance prominently on the wall.
Hair: Airy by ETD
The Muism group gift jacket was a popular blog item a few days ago (link, link, link). I am not a member of the Muism group so I cannot comment on that particular item, but it seems from other posts as well as these that there is a love-hate relationship growing with sculptywear. The style is often fantastic. The wearability is sometimes lacking.
Avatars, just like our real life counterparts, are of various shapes and sizes. Even the very best clothes designers can't make prim objects that fit everyone perfectly. So many of the designers have begun putting out demo models of their sculptywear item which is a wonderful help. Some demos are mod, some not, but if they fit you perfectly -- or close to it -- you can buy with confidence.
The upside of sculptywear is that the design possibilities seem almost endless. I have no idea HOW they do it, but it is amazing. The downside is that sometimes, no matter what we do, we just can't get things to fit. It seems like the more complex the sculpty is and the more pieces it takes the place of, the harder it is to modify. Simple sweater necks and cuffs almost always work for me.
The advantage of the older style prims that are linked is being able to edit just ONE of the pieces without influencing the others. With sculpties we are often resizing a large and complex item. We get the offending area to fit and that throws off another - LOL.
There was a gorgeous short jacket that I wanted and the designer had very nicely made two versions (one for bustier gals - a category I do not fall into). No matter what I did, it didn't work. But her demo gave me the chance to try it and that was great.
We give up a bit of fashion FOR fashion with sculpties in a lag situation. I suspect that you have been to events where some of the people never got the large gray balls off their feet, head, hands etc. :D But once they rez? Heaven.
I have also heard from a friend who runs around with the techie crowd that sculpties are actually polygons (I hope I have that correct) and actually take up six more times of the server's energy than a regular prim. Maybe someone knows the scoop on this and can explain it more.
I guess my personal decision will be to use sculptywear carefully -- much in the same way I use multiprim jewelry and leave it home when I go places that will be crowded. And enjoy every shapely nuance when I am in a calm and stable environment.
And you?
Credits: Everyday Tote by ETD, Sassy Sweater by Nuclear Boutique, Pepper Capris by Bossa Nova, Socks by PixelDolls (shortened), Untied Sandals by Shoes Simply Shoes, Melange Bracelet by Tekelili
Hunts and Such - A Followup
So MUCH conversation about an earlier post at iheartsl.com. I have several comments still in the queue there but wanted to do a new post anyway -- a designer's view of my blog thoughts of last eve. Here's the backstory.
When I logged in this morning I found two very nice IMs from different designers thanking me for posting my thoughts in the Hunts and Such -- Are We Simply Tired. There were some negative comments to my post by one person and some positive ones from others (thanks) and by the time I get this up there could be much more showing up as who knows what might be awaiting publication?
Anyway in my comments on that post I mentioned talking to designers but not giving names or their comments. Just after sending that comment in, one of the designers, Eolande Elvehjem (Ohana Isle) wrote back. We had a very lengthy conversation and she gave me permission to print her words here. All in all I have three designer's take on this. They all seem to mirror Eolande's so I will just quote her. This is a VERY SMALL sampling of opinion on this subject and any and all designers are VERY welcome to comment on this ihearts.com post and give YOUR ideas.
Excerpts from our conversation of the morning (some lines repositioned for clarity):
Eolande Elvehjem: I just read your post about treasure hunts, and thank you for writing it. It's been something on my mind for a while now, and a discussion we've been having at Ohana Isle lately.
Chic Aeon: Ah. You are very welcome. And thanks so much for writing. I have been to your hunts of course and posted before and enjoy them but wondering if "the market" is becoming saturated -- if that applies.
Eolande Elvehjem: Yes I think it's a real problem - the economy has really slowed and everyone's sales are down. I notice myself that I rarely *need* to buy anything because someone is always giving it out for free.
(Edited by Chic re Eolande at 2:12) At Ohana we always put quality stuff (well at least we think so) in our hunts, but we don't give away the farm and we try to inspire customers to buy based on what they've picked up for free.
Nonetheless, can't change what everyone else is doing. We're cooking up new ways to give people a reason to buy….
Chic Aeon: That is exactly my point and there is a LOT going on with my blog post right now :) I did NOT mention your name.
Eolande Elvehjem: Oh it's fine if you do. Yeah and I'd like to see it opened up for comments. This is a healthy discussion.
Chic Aeon: I guess my point (and people on the blog asked for more info). Is that we are being given SO much that we don't have a reason to shop.
Eolande Elvehjem: EXACTLY
Chic Aeon: Glad you think so. I feel guilty sometimes.
Chic Aeon: Everyone is giving more and better -- like a competition. I can't see how that is really benefiting the designers -- just the recipients.
Eolande Elvehjem: Well it benefits us designers to give a very good sample of our work because then if it's liked the idea is people will come back for more.
Chic Aeon: Yes, agreed.
Eolande Elvehjem: You don't get a half assed freebie and then say to yourself "hmmm wonder if their stuff in their shop is better lets go find out".
Chic Aeon: True and my point which I have taken a LOT of abuse on the blog for :D
Eolande Elvehjem: We're shooting ourselves in the foot
Chic Aeon: Yes, but some designers (big name ones) have (or had a couple months ago anyway) HORRIBLE freebies with seams that didn't match at all. It seems like there needs to be a middle ground somewhere.
Eolande Elvehjem: Right. My middle ground - and the middle ground we do here on Ohana - is we release something that is a version of our current offerings for sale --but it is limited in itself. So we give our best work, but you'll want more to get the full use of the thing. So for instance, i made some lovely Celtic trinity jewelry in a variety of metals all with color change gems. For the hunt, i tinted the metal green and left the stones as diamonds w/out color change. People were in love with the stuff, and returned for more colors.
Chic Aeon: Yes, that is a good way. Does that seem to work for you?
Eolande Elvehjem: Ooh yes we do quite well. Over all people are buying less, but the hunts are our bread and butter
Chic Aeon: So if it is working for you what in my post "rang true" for you?
Eolande Elvehjem: Yes it very much did - and i think the overload of freebies has in the long run started to hurt us, and it will continue to do so -- unless people wise up about the way they address the freebie thing.
Chic Aeon: OK. That was my take on it from THIS side of the gifting.
Eolande Elvehjem: Don't give out your crap. Do give out your best - just a *version* of your best.
Chic Aeon: Thanks for the chat. I guess each designer will have to figure out a plan for themselves. If they follow the herd, they do.
Eolande Elvehjem: Right, and each designer will do what best works for them - who am i to say that they're doing it wrong? Ultimately it amounts to an overabundance of freebies. But each designer needs to do for themselves what they think is best.
Chic Aeon: Agreed. Back to my posting. Thanks so much. Good luck with your hunt.
Eolande Elvehjem: You're welcome, feel free to quote me on anything I've said.
Hunts and Such - Are We Simply Tired
Posted by Chic Aeon in comment on Sunday, April 13, 2008
Have I missed them? So far I have only seen one post on the Red Stick Hunt (thanks Serene) and nothing on Ohana which I think has started but have lost the post on that.
Are we "all" getting tired? Have we had way too much of too many good things of late? The designers (at least many of them) have definitely been VERY generous of late. It is difficult to say whether this is natural altruism or competition. I would prefer to think the former of course but pragmatically it is likely a bit of both. The fashion world of Phil's Place is not far it seems from its RL model.
We, the customers (hopefully we are actually customers from time to time) are the definite beneficiaries of there gifts, but it seems like there may be a saturation point. True, there are always "new folks" coming in and that is most likely good for the society as a whole. Still I wonder how the small shops can survive and the larger designers (despite their profits?) keep their enthusiasm if their events become less than resounding successes.
With so much out there now, even those with freebie mania (yes, I was definitely one but trying to wean myself off) can become overwhelmed. There are only so many hours in a virtual day and so much time we can devote in hunter gatherer mode (wink).
I am not a designer, but it seems like there needs to be a shift here. Then again, I am often looking at a much bigger picture (walking the perimeter of the forest) than most folks. Just some thoughts -- late at night.
PixelDolls Gift
PixelDolls -- Port Seraphine 36/128/56 has just released a gift to everyone. No hunting, no gathering (wink) although I have to admit that there are SO MANY LAYERS AND CHOICES that it took me a long while to get dressed - LOL. So there is a little bit of a challenge even if it isn't in the finding.
Four top colors in a huge assortment of layers, shorts, tall socks with top and bottom sculpty prims (you may need to resize these depending on YOUR size), full length legging (pants for boots) and the list goes on.
Thanks so much for such a great gift for the community. You can sign up at the SubscribeOmatic in the shop.
Inventory Blues
Posted by Chic Aeon in comment on Thursday, April 10, 2008
I suspect that we all have inventory blues. So fun to shop and try on and wear and even photograph (wink), but organizing? Not so much.
I have been pretty good from the beginning with my inventory. I deleted things that were things I knew I wouldn't wear. These either had BAD words (my opinion only here) on them, seams that didn't come close to matching, too much logoness to them (although I love my SEY logo tank). But what do I do with wonderfully made things that still don't seem like me? Well I kept them of course. You never know when tastes might change or a new outfit opportunity might arise. The Nightmare shoes from ::69 are a good example. VERY nicely made and the hunt was great, but was I ever going to wear shoes with skulls and bows? Well they went perfectly with the Granny's Bones dress from Sn@tch (thanks Ivey). Always surprises.
So when reorganizing my inventory I already had folders for things like "accessories", "jewelry", "dresses and formals", "jackets and sweaters" etc. I also had some outfits. But it was still hard to find things and sometimes I would lose my favorite top or jeans (not my '84s as they are easy to remember and search for-- but others). So in my NEW plan, I added folders for "favorites" and "maybe someday" for things I wear a lot and things I might someday find a need for. I figured I would check those "maybe someday" folders in 6 months and see if I still wanted to keep them.
I also added a new top level (under clothing) folder for "Purchased" as I have purchased very little and can remember those easily right now.
A couple of tips for those of you who like me decide that it is time to get some organization into your virtual clothing closet.
First, most of you probably know about the OUTFITS option. For those that do not, you simply dress in your outfit of choice, right click on yourself and choose "Appearance". From there choose the "Make Outfit" button and then click in all the little boxes where you want what you are wearing to be added to your outfit. If you change skins often (or hair) you may want to leave those off the list. It's all up to you. Save and give your outfit an appropriate name. This works very well with COPY items. If you have items that are not copy, it simply puts it in that particular outfit UNTIL you make another outfit with the same garment. So not so handy. Be aware.
Secondly a good trick for no mod items with less than descriptive names is to make a new folder for JUST that item (or all the pieces of it if it comes in layers or with prims). So something entitled "Tallys Top" (no such item to my knowledge) can be put into a folder called "Red sweater w front buttons and tintable undershirt" or whatever makes sense to you.
I also like having a folder for "sets" of things that came together. This is both handy and limiting. If your item is copy then you could put a copy of the pants into your pants folder for example as WELL as with the set. This will make your inventory even larger of course, but it makes it easier for me to find elusive separates.
That's what I have learned so far in my inventory rearrangement. About halfway done. Will I ever pick up MORE things? Most likely. But now at least there is a system in place that will make it easier to categorize my finds and purchases.
As an aside here it is interesting to note that as Chic I am a Capricorn (not in RL) and Capricorns are very big on linear thinking and organization. They LIKE plans and systems (wink).
How Much is Enough?
So the Haute Couture hunt was great fun. I find I haven't opened anything from there yet though. What's THAT about? Well it may simply be that I know what is there from other posts (thank you) or it may be that I simply have enough STUFF (insert big wink here). In two and a half months of manic hunting and gathering (most of it very enjoyable and not work at all) I have about 2000 clothes items. Now some of those are repeats from the outfits generator and some of course I purchased, but not all that many.
AND I was absolutely VERY good about deleting anything I knew I wouldn't wear. That is a LOT of things to wear. Some items of course are parts of a complex blouse for example, but even if you cut that number in half it is still most likely more than one could wear in six months (counting accessories here) if they only changed once a day :D
SO -- I have decided that I need to get that inventory REALLY organized and then maybe become a little less manic about the hunter-gatherer mode that I seem to have been in. It is funny as my real life wardrobe is VERY sparse and I am usually wearing the SAME thing when someone comes to visit. Oh well.
So, this isn't a goodbye really. I am sure I will be back and already have a couple of fashion post ideas (including maybe some inventory control tips from my trip into the depths of mine). I can see how Divine got burned out though. And even in my short time in SL I have seen other fashion find bloggers come and go, so I guess this is mostly expected. When something starts turning into WORK instead of play it sort of looses its appeal -- especially when we are here to PLAY.
We'll see how it goes. I am sure I won't stop blogging. I have several non-"virtural world" (almost slipped there) blogs of my RL person. And there is most likely a LOT of things in world to write about besides the newest freebie. HMMMMM>
Anyway. That's the news from Chic's Place.
Posted by Chic Aeon in freebies on Monday, April 7, 2008
That top picture is not of disappointment -- it is of exhaustion :D The Haute Couture Hunt is great. Many of the "little boxes" are easy to find. Some need camera controls. Since (letters we can't use) Free*Style did such a great job with photographs, just go here http://slfreestyle.blogspot.com/2008/04/its-haute-couture-darlings.html
to see many of the items to be found. I add the ZHAO shoes here as saw no photos of them. The red ones are the same as Callie Cline's friends week gift so some of you may have those. They are VERY nice though so be sure and pick them up.
I love the second pair of funky ones in dark gray. They don't fit me exactly right though. I am assuming it is because I am a BIG girl and my fat ankles get in the way. I am pretty sure however that these will work well with pants OR with my SHOP SEU leg warmers (previously blogged) so plan to work something out. Hint: ZHAO gave out TWO gifts; they are not in the same little boxes. They ARE however easy to find so broaden your horizons a bit from the "little black box" mindset and mouseover a few things.
ALSO if you have occasion to wear fancy jewelry be sure and stop by Alienbear Design as there is a lovely, large stoned, blue necklace suitable for formalwear.
According to Emee Flanagan (on site at the event) THE HUNT WILL CONTINUE TILL TOMORROW AT 12NOON SLT :)
Gray and Pink Bliss
I saw a post from Juliet about an extremely cute top that was a group gift from MG Fashion. I zipped over to their main store lickity-split to see if seemed like a designer group I would like to join. Indeed there were lots of great looking tops in an abundance of colors -- can you say full color spectrum five times really fast? I did finally find the group. The problem seemed to be the two letter search bug in the new client -- so keep trying if you decide to join. The top is extremely nice with great detail. (I had a close up shot in the collage but it was so distracting (boob shot) that I took it out. ) The trim on this blouse is pink ribbon. The sweater with and without detail (two versions) is available in most any color you would like. The large vendor is prominently displayed at the front of the store. This is a hand drawn item and there has been a lot of attention paid to "getting it right". That is very easy to see. So take a look. MG Fashions -- Mystikal 123/118/27 right across from Mystikal Hair.
Shown with Bossa Nova -- Amour 200/44/0 -- capris and bangles (hunt I believe) and Untied Sandals from Shoes Simply Shoes -- Gembong West 229/143/31
The second outfit screams Summer and those warm days will be here soon. This is from RAHZ --Sterling Heights 143/101/22, a very nice shop right across from ANA_MATIONS. I wandered over there last night after buying my AO. They have a large variety of bright and cheery garments including some for men. I think there is also a gift bag for men. This outfit comes with a long sleeved brief white jacket, but I preferred it without. It is very nicely done and could be a swimsuit also - sans garters and such. BEWARE that the LM inside the gift apparently goes to a private sex area and NOT the store. I had to backtrack to get the SLURL for ya :D Shown with Nightmare shoes in white by :: 69 --MIYABI 35/218/503.
Vote with Your $$$$$$
This is not really a contest. I just wanted to get your attention. It is really a move to be APPRECIATIVE of all the designers we love who "love" us and give us great things. We know who you are and they are different for everyone.
An aside here: I want to thank ALL the folks -- both friends and strangers-- who wrote positive notes on the blogs and sent me IMs on the latest freebie controversial drama on the blogs. If you missed it, leave it. If you suspected there was more behind it than met the eye? You are a good little blog sleuth. Enough said.
So it was a busy day for me. No, I wasn't hiding out anywhere :D. I was camping for a lot of hours in preparation for my afternoon sojourn. You see -- I had a plan.
My plan was simple. Support the designers you love with your lindens. And I did. Now for some of you, this is a very simple thing. You spend $5 or $10 US dollars and it is no biggie. You give up a latte or two on the way to work. We each, I suspect, have our own game plan within the "game" and mine includes the rules NOT to spend any RL dollars and not to form any romantic relationships. So, for "me" to spend $2000 Linden today was a BIG deal. I earned every penny camping at places that knock you off every hour (or half hour) or at trivia at Calla. That's the backstory.
And here's the fun.
My plan was a simple one really. Support the designers you love with your Lindens. Now I am SURE that many of you already do that. I am also sure that many of you do not :D. I have made a few purchases in SL since I came here 3 plus months ago. Not as many as I would have if I was using RL dinero (smile). So this was a BIG step for me.
First stop. Tuli -- Le Zoo 130/143/22. I loved the outfit from last night. I will most likely not wear the hair that often and will add some accessories of my own (not shown here) to the mix, but it was MUCH appreciated. I went out purposefully to buy something from Tuli to say "thank you". While there were several outfits I admired, I ended up choosing the same outfit only in green. One reason was that I felt it could move into Spring easily in the light green color. And without the belt (so cute but sort of Fallish) it does just that. I also bought this pose from the Tuli shop. Shoes are Untied Sandals from Shoes Simply Shoes. (And that's another story.)
Next up? If you read me often, you know -- Sn@tch -- Pulse 175/219/30. Of my total wardrobe I have more Sn@tch items than anything else. So WHO do you support with your Lindens? IVEY!!! Now I didn't spend a ton of money but the thought was there. Actually I have so many items on the wall it was hard to find something I didn't have. I found a REALLY fun outfit that I absolutely love (almost as much as my '84 jeans).
I have no idea what era it came from. No doubt before my time but it is colorful patchwork pants (they came bell bottoms but I modified to straight) and four or five tops in different colors. The BELT is wonderful and flow so nicely. I have to admit that since this was a transfer no copy item I was a bit worried about adjusting the size (Ivey admits she has a big "bum" (wink)). But I did it and it is perfect. Those building classes are paying off for sure.
I paired it with some disco hair from Bewitched (hunt) and my nightmare shoes from ::69 (those are getting to be a standard) and I have an outfit. Note the new cute poses? They are from the next stop on my spending tour --- Ana_mations -- Sterling Heights 122/95/22!
Ana_mations put out a fantastic Drama Queen AO a few weeks ago. I love it. But still, if I am tired of looking at the same poses, you must be too. This AO was heartstoppingly spendy for me (800 linden) but has 5 long animated stands, plus sitting (shown) and ground (laying) and the typical "sexy walk" so a great deal all in all.
Onward to my last stop of the eve. Running out of Lindens and I will be camping or at Calla FOR-E-VER. On to Samara Studios -- Gembong West 229/143/31. Firstly because I love her shoes, secondly because she wrote a very nice "defense" for me on iheartsl.com. "Thank you Samara." Now I am not a huge fan of Samara's clothes. They are a bit too close to what my mom would wear. And the truly wonderful thing is that she gave me (and anyone else) permission to SAY that. (Feel the breath of fresh air here?). But, I absolutely LOVE her shoes and already had three pair of untied sandals (one was a gift and one on sale but still). So to say thanks, I decided that I simply MUST need another pair of those Untied Sandals since I wear them so often.
I'll skip the long story here as this is a long post, but I now have FOUR pair of Untied Sandals (I obviously need to branch out here). So TY Samara for your kind words and gifts. You have seen these shoes often and will see them again so no need for a pic which is good as I am tired and need to go CAMPING again to replace my money spent today. (Actually the Tuli pic has my old ones in smoke :D)
The point to all this -- in case you missed it -- is that ALL our designers (your favorites, my favorites) are working folks. They spend tons of hour I suspect on their labors of love. Some make big bucks I hear, some do not (also here say). Whatever. They deserve our support. Pick your favorite(s) and BUY something this week. Especially if you don't do that often. If you want, post it here -- who you love and what you purchase. We'd really like to know.
And with that I'm going to go see if my favorite coffee cart spot is available (wink).


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Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Superman: The Movie
Chase a Crooked Shadow
Brass Target
The Revolutionary
Bhowani Junction
Knights of the Round Table
The Lord of the Rings
Love and Death
All Alan Tilvern films
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subset: commoncrawl


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Bloggers of Honor are people are selected by Family History Expos to "provide information and updates about the Expo to members of the genealogy community." They help [Family History Expos] make each Expo a virtual event by sharing on Twitter, Facebook and blogs about the sessions, Expo news, exhibitors and more.
To view the list of Bloggers of Honor, click here.
I'm grateful to have been selected as a Blogger of Honor at the 2011 AZ Family History Expo. Please join me in Mesa Jan 21-22.
Last year was my first year to attend, and I was not disappointed in the least! The speakers were fantastic, the exhibit hall was buzzing with happy family history seekers, lunch (served there for a small cost) was delicious. I met some wonderful people, who have become online friends throughout this year, and I learned more about family history, genealogy and using social media and technology in regards to searching for ancestors. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and I can't wait to get back there for more this year.
Please save the date:
Jan 21 and 22, 2011
Mesa Convention Center
263 North Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85201
I think you'll be glad you did.


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Valdênia was 15 years old when she taught a little boy in the community to read and write.
"He was 7 and had difficulties learning at school. His mother asked me to help him."
At that time, Valdênia was in high school, but had no hope to get into a university. Today, three years later, she can see that she was practicing her vocation.
Valdênia studies Pedagogy at one of the most important universities in northeast Brazil, and this opportunity was only possible because she attended a pre-university course supported through a Complementary Intervention offered by Compassion.
Valdênia was one of 47 teenagers who benefited from a scholarship to study at Instituto Coração de Estudante (Heart of Student Institute), a pre-university course created to serve students who couldn't attend good and effective high schools.
In Brazil, the best universities are federal or state funded. Vacancies are limited, and only the best students, who dedicate hours and hours to study, have the chance to compete for enrollment.
Coming from a poor family who lives in Fortaleza, Valdênia is the first in her family to attend a university. Her mother knows only how to sign her own name; Valdênia's father taught her and her other siblings to work for the basics in order to survive in life.
Help Families Affected BY COVID-19
Families in poverty have no safety net in times of crisis. Help provide food, medical care and support during this pandemic.
For Valdênia's parents who only completed basic schooling, this is how life was like: to be born, to grow up, to learn the basics to survive, and to work their entire life to earn a living. Getting a better life was meant for other people, not for their family.
But Escola Evangélica Monte Sinai Child Development Center (Evangelical School Mount Sinai) taught Valdênia that it was possible to get a better life, and for it she would need to study hard to achieve. Valdênia kept this in her heart.
"Once, a teacher told to us not to give up on our dreams. She used King David as an example of life. He waited to be king."
When she got to high school, she tried to find a job to please her parents, but because she was a minor (in Brazil, 18 is the adulthood age) she couldn't find one, even with her mother pressing her.
The last year of high school, she finally decided to stop looking for a job; she would use her free time to study for university. Her mother didn't agree with this and warned Valdênia that she had one chance. If she didn't get into a university, she would have to find a job in the next year and forget about studying.
Valdênia waited anxiously for the start of the pre-university course. During this time, she embarked on studies by herself.
"In order to earn my own money and help my father, not giving more expenses to him, I started tutoring children in the neighborhood."
Through this initiative, Valdênia began learning how to teach others, and this ability would be important when she got the pre-university course.
The pre-university course she took serves needy adolescents. All its teaching methods are designed to fill the gaps these students had.
In small groups, the students are encouraged to share their knowledge and teach each other. The study is collaborative.
Before the courses begin, the students, who are taught by university students, are subjected to a test to measure their level of learning, then they are separated into peer groups.
"This method was important for me. I had difficulty with chemistry, and I could learn it by studying in small groups. I'm very good in geography, so I could help students who had difficulties with in this subject."
Compassion supported Valdênia and others buy covering the course's monthly payment, bus ticket, books and study material for three months, which is the duration of the course. It costs approximately $300 per person for the course.
Taiane was another sponsored child who benefited. Age 18 and attending Pleno Florescer Child Development Center (Full Bloom) since she was 9, she had tried to get into the federal university in 2008, but was unsuccessful as she failed in some essay questions.
When Taiane started pre-university course she was surprised at the method.
"In the beginning it was complicated for me, because we used to sit and just watch the class. But during the course, I realized that this different method is excellent. I had to learn to help the others. So, I learned more than I knew!"
Like Valdênia, Taiane is the first one in her family to attend university. She successfully got into the Federal University as a Library major.
"When I graduate, I'll open a library in my community to encourage children to read."
When Valdênia saw her name on the approval list, she couldn't believe it.
"I asked the monitor to search for my name on the list. I started to jump when he read my name. I was trembling. I got 50 cents (about $0.25) and I went to a cyber cafe. There, I looked for my name on the list again! When I found out, I closed the Web page and opened it again. I did it three times!"
Because of the pre-university course, Valdênia and Taiane are college students and they have taken another important step toward freedom from poverty.


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Mike Eruzione's game-worn 'Miracle on Ice' jersey up for sale
Presale estimate for jersey, hockey stick is $1 million
Mike Eruzione, who scored the winning goal for the underdog 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team against the Soviet Union, is selling off the stick he used to score the goal as well as the jersey he wore that night in Lake Placid.
The 58-year-old Winthrop native scored the go-ahead goal for the United States, sealing the 4-3 victory against the Soviets in a game that has become one of the most iconic sports events ever.
Alongside the white "Miracle" jersey, Eruzione has put up the stick he was using when he scored the game-winning goal, and the jersey he was wearing in the gold-medal game versus Finland.
It wasn't clear why the he was placing the items up for auction.
The pre-sale estimate for the jersey is $1 million, according to SportsCollectorsDaily.com. The items are set to be auctioned at Heritage Auction's Winter Platinum Night next February in Manhattan.


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White Sox alter rotation for rest of road trip
NEW YORK -- The White Sox made slight adjustments to their starting rotation for the remainder of this 10-game road trip.
Wednesday's starter in New York officially is listed as TBA, as is Saturday's, when Andre Rienzo originally would have taken the mound in Baltimore. Hector Santiago moves from Wednesday's series finale against the Yankees to Thursday's series opener against the Orioles, with John Danks starting Friday and Jose Quintana on Sunday.
Erik Johnson, No. 2 on MLB.com's ranking of White Sox prospects, appears to be a prime candidate for Wednesday's start, with the right-hander expected to be called up from Triple-A Charlotte after the Knights' season ends on Monday. Johnson, who has a 12-3 record with a 1.96 ERA over 24 combined starts between Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte, last pitched Thursday.
Manager Robin Ventura mentioned Charlie Leesman as another starting candidate, but Leesman would seem an unlikely choice for Wednesday after throwing 82 pitches in relief on Sunday in Boston. Dylan Axelrod also is available.


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Research Talking Points on English Language Learners
How many English Language Learner (ELL) students are there?
Based on state-reported data, it is estimated that 4,999,481 ELL students were enrolled in public schools (pre-K through grade 12) for the 2003-2004 school year.
This number represents approximately 10.3 percent of total public school student enrollment, and a 40.7 percent increase over the reported 1993–94 public school ELL enrollment. Twenty-one percent all urban public school students are ELLs.
The ELL population is the fastest-growing population of public school students in the U.S. From the 1990-1991 to the 2000-2001 school year, ELL enrollment has grown by more than 105 percent in the United States, compared with only a 12 percent growth of total student enrollment during the same period.
Three states — Georgia, Mississippi, and Montana — had over a 50 percent increase in ELL enrollment from the 1999-2000 to 2000-2001 school years. In 2000-2001, more than 45 school districts in the United States had enrollments of more than 10,000 ELLs.
In addition, an increasing number of ELLs are newcomers to U.S. schools, having just recently immigrated to the United States. In 2000-2001, just over 1 million immigrants were enrolled in U.S. schools. These students come from families that are migrant workers or from countries or situations where previous schooling may have been unavailable.
What are the most common language groups for ELL students?
Spanish and Asian languages are the most common, according to ELL student data reported by states for 2000-2001. In 2000-2001, states reported over 400 languages spoken by English language learners nationwide. The data submitted indicate that the great majority of ELL students claimed Spanish (79 percent) as their native language, followed by Vietnamese (2.0 percent), Hmong (1.6 percent), Chinese, Cantonese (1.0 percent), Korean (1.0 percent), and other (15.4 percent).
How well prepared are teachers of ELLs?
Nationwide, approximately 2.5 percent of teachers who instruct English language learners possess a degree in ESL or bilingual education (National Center for Education Statistics, 1997). In California, only one-third of ELLs have a teacher who has received a credential of any kind (Gándara & Maxwell-Jolly, 1999).
In Texas, recent data from the Institute for School-University Partnerships indicates that elementary bilingual/ESL teachers are least likely to be fully certified (40 percent "less-than-fully certified" teachers), followed closely by secondary bilingual/ESL (35 percent) ( Texas A&M University, 2002). Only 84 percent of the states offer ESL certification or endorsement; only 50 percent offer bilingual/dual language certification or endorsement.
What about regular classroom teachers who have ELLs in their classes? How well prepared do they feel when it comes to teaching ELLs?
Of the 41 percent of teachers nationwide with ELLs in their classrooms, only 12.5 percentparticipated in eight or more hours of professional development related to ELLs in the past three years. Fewer than 8 percent of teachers reported eight or more hours of ELL-specific professional development in seven states where more than one third (41 percent) of teachers were teaching ELLs (NCES, 2002).
In fact, according to a report from the US Department of Education, "addressing the needs of limited English proficient students" is the professional development area in which teachers are least likely to participate (NCES, 2001). The same survey found that only 27 percent of teachers of ELLs felt "very well prepared" to teach students with limited English proficiency, while the majority (60 percent) felt only "somewhat" or "moderately" well-prepared and 12 percent reported feeling "not prepared at all" (NCES, 2001).
What kind of instructional programs and services do ELLs generally receive?
Approximately 15 percent of ELLs receive NO special instruction or programs designed to help them learn English and achieve in the content areas (Hopstock & Stephenson, 2003). Only 33 percent of students receive some type of service designed to support or supplement regular instruction such as an aide or specialized ESL instruction provided for fewer than 10 hours per week.
Only 8 percent of ELLs receive extensive instruction designed specifically to meet their learning needs – including 10 or more hours of ESL instruction per week, content instruction that is specifically modified for ELLs and at least 25 percent use of the students' native language for instructional purposes.
How are ELL students doing academically?
In 2000-2001, of the states that tested ELLs in reading comprehension, only 18.7 percent of ELLs were assessed as being at or above the norm. In the same year, almost 10 percent of ELLs in grades 7-12 were retained. In February 2001, it was reported that ELLs had dropout rates up to four times that of their native English-speaking peers.
- Denise McKeon, NEA Research
June 2005


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The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes
|Producers' Note
This comprehensive disc edition includes every salvageable item from the known corpus of the Mapleson cylinders, even including a few essentially unrelated to the Metropolitan Opera. In the main listening sequence, on eleven sides, the recordings have been grouped more or less by repertory--roughly, French, Italian, and German--and within each repertory area, by opera. The sequence of selections within an opera has been determined in each case on an ad hoc basis: generally by sequence within the score, but with occasional exceptions where it seemed to make sense to keep together material from the same performance (thus, the excerpts from the later, longer, and better-sounding Nordica "Immolation Scene" are given in sequence, rather than interspersed with the passages from the earlier performance). In some cases of duplicate repertory ( Le Cid and the end of Tosca ), later recordings have been placed first, where they help prepare the listener to decipher earlier and dimmer ones. A few groups of non-operatic material have been used to fill out sides, so that Mapleson's extensive recordings from Faust, Les Huguenots, and the 1903 Lohengrin performance can each be kept intact on a side.
Given the significance of these unique recordings, we felt that this first complete publication should indeed be as complete as possible. However, in order not to burden the main listening sequence with items of marginal interest or audibility, these have been sequestered in a Supplement on the final side--we are tempted to describe its contents as "the unidentifiable, the inaudible, the unmusical, and the unlistenable." But because even the faintest trace of, say, Jean De Reszke and Terina in Tristan may give some scholar or listener somewhere a clue to the work's performance history or to the singers' vocal qualities, because even the chatter of the Mapleson children might prove useful to a student of vernacular Anglo-American speech at the turn of the century, because some future listener may be able to supply an identification that has eluded us, we have included everything that was physically playable.
In the original taping sessions of 1981, virtually all the cylinders were recorded at least twice--once flat, once with equalization; sometimes additional takes were made with alternate styli. For the disc edition, we generally preferred the flat takes, for their greater timbral fidelity and spatial ambience; however, in the case of very worn recordings where equalization tangibly improved audibility of the musical signal, we chose the equalized takes. All detectible signal on each cylinder was retained (including Mapleson's occasional running starts and stops, as well as applause and stage waits); noisy beginnings and ends were trimmed as cleanly as possible, and repeating grooves edited out. Declicking was conservative: where a few "clean" noises intruded upon a relatively quiet cylinder and could be edited out without a trace, this has been done, but badly cracked cylinders--the cracks often double-or triple-barreled--could not be declicked without deleterious effect on the musical information, the intact preservation of which seemed a more important consideration than production of a smooth sonic picture. (Those to whom silent surfaces are a paramount consideration probably shouldn't be listening to these recordings at all!)
In cases where Mapleson stopped his machine and restarted it later, we have inserted brief pauses, giving the listener time to reorient himself (if the subsequent selection is from a later scene or another work, of course it has been placed in the appropriate position). Separate cylinders that follow very closely upon one another within the same scene (e.g., the four from the Valentine-Marcel duet in Les Huguenots ) have been grouped together in the same band, but in general we have not spared on spirals, reasoning that, after initial hearings, most use of these records will be for short and selective listening.
Although agreeing with David Hall that the faintest cylinders fare best with headphone listening, we feel that adequate preparation is the most important resource for getting the most out of these recordings. Listeners who have access to printed scores of the operas and can read musical notation are strongly encouraged to follow the notes when listening, especially with the earlier, dimmer recordings and with the less familiar works. Alternatively, preliminary listening to a modern recording of the passage in question will often help in deciphering the fainter sounds on the cylinders (in line with this principle, in laying out these sides we have, as mentioned, placed clearer recordings before dimmer ones of the same music). In lieu of the printed music, the librettos and program notes below are designed to assist listeners in following the progress of the recordings as closely as possible. If you know what you are listening for, it becomes easier to detect.
David Hamilton
Tom Owen


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Can the Wireless Industry Change Its Mindset Before It's Too Late?
Jul 18, 2013 5:00 AM PT
We have a problem. We don't have enough wireless spectrum to satisfy America's rapidly growing appetite. That means we'll increasingly have problems connecting with our smartphones and tablets. This spectrum shortage means we must decide the best way to use what we do have. So now is the time to draw a line in the sand and do what we must do -- prepare to share spectrum.
Wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon know about the growing problem. That's why they have spent years trying to acquire as much spectrum as they can get their hands on, but they still don't have enough. However, they are better prepared than smaller carriers like Sprint, T-Mobile, C Spire, U.S. Cellular and many others.
On one hand, the AT&T and Verizon approach makes sense, since they cover roughly 70 percent of the market. On the other hand, this is not fair to smaller carriers who also need the same access to grow and compete. After all, we don't want the marketplace to consist of just two players.
Even if AT&T and Verizon controlled 100 percent of spectrum, there still would not be enough for the long term. It's got to do with how many users want access and how much they use -- not how many carriers provide it. So it seems to me that auctioning off the remaining spectrum no longer works for this industry.
All for One and One for All
Sharing spectrum would allow each competitor to have equal access. That means all customers and all carriers would be satisfied. That means competition would thrive. That would keep innovation high and prices low. Shouldn't that be part of what we are working toward?
Today smartphone users are not paying attention to this growing problem, but limited wireless spectrum is threatening to clog our wireless Internet.
Carriers spent years acquiring as much spectrum as they could from wherever they could find it. That's why AT&T wanted to merge with T-Mobile. That's why Verizon acquired the cable television industry spectrum.
The U.S. government has always auctioned off spectrum bands to the highest bidder. However, the process of auctions no longer works for the industry since there is simply not enough spectrum to go around. So what's the solution?
As more users buy smartphones like the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy, and use more wireless data, we are getting closer to clogging the networks. Once we start to reach that point, customers will start to have problems with speed and connections. So must we wait till there is a real problem to wrestle with -- or can we handle the problem beforehand?
The Easy Way or the Hard Way?
I know, I know, carriers prefer to own bands of spectrum rather than share. Tough. That desire is understandable; however, because we have a shortage of spectrum and a growing demand, that solution simply will no longer work. Get over it.
To keep competition alive, every carrier, large and small, needs the same access to spectrum. We must be responsible and do the right thing -- meaning make sure there is sufficient spectrum available to every competitor for every customer.
Sharing spectrum is not even in the vocabulary of carriers today, but it should be. Otherwise, we may watch small carriers wither away, and that would not be good for a competitive industry. If that happened, regulation would increase -- and carriers don't want that.
That's why now is the time to come up with a long-term solution to this real and growing problem.
The simple idea to pool all wireless data spectrum into one place seems to be the best long-term solution to the growing problem. Then let every competitor pay for access to whatever it needs. This would mean all competitors would have the same access to the same spectrum. That way the winners would be chosen based on brand, performance and price. Doesn't that make good sense?
Carriers would be compensated for the spectrum they added to the mix. That way it wouldn't cost them anything -- it could actually be profitable.
As much sense as this solution makes, carriers today would still rather own spectrum. We just have to get past that sticking point in the argument. It would be great if we could get there BEFORE we start running out of capacity and customers and carriers start experiencing problems.
With all that said, I have watched this industry over nearly 30 years, and my guess is we will likely wait until the problems begin and the pain is excruciating before making this move. The big question is will the industry do this on it's own -- or will the government have to step in to make it happen? It's always better without the government, but at this point, who knows?


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So I'm in a tiny dorm room and I normally point my fan blowing outside the window to cool my room off. I've been in some debates on blowing air out or in is more effective, so I'm hoping to get some empirical data to back up my claim. Things I have
A Heater with only low, medium, high settings.
The Fan.
I do not have a thermometer.
So the best I could think of was melting ice cubes. I don't care about the exact temperature, just which method is more effective.
I've outline the basis of my experiment:
Shut the windows and turn the heat on high, 15 minutes
Open the windows, turn off the heat, turn on the fan on high, 15 minutes
Leave $n$ ice cubes out and take the average of how long it takes them to melt.
All the ice cubes are from the same tray. Can anyone devise a better experiment with no tools...


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To celebrate the release of Keith Urban's new album, Graffiti U, he's inviting YOU to come meet him and watch his show from the pit!
This is your chance to get up close and personal with Keith Urban! We'll fly you to Orange Beach, hook you up with passes to meet Keith, attend a private Q&A and give you a set of tickets that'll get you even closer than the front row! We'll even throw in $500 in spending cash!
- Roundtrip airfare for two (2) to Orange Beach, AL
- Two (2) nights hotel stay
- Two (2) tickets in pit area to see Keith Urban at The Wharf Amphitheater on August 25, 2018
- Two (2) M&G passes
- Two (2) VIP experience passes for Q&A
- $500 in Cash
And before you come to the show, be sure to listen to Keith Urban's new album, Graffiti U so you can sing along with him! After all, you will be right in front of the stage!
Want to get in on this once in a lifetime getaway? Just get social with us. Following the links below earns you entries into this contest. The more you like, share, follow, and subscribe, the more entries you get.
*This is a multi-market contest. Winner must be 21 years old. Contest ends May 18, 2018.


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But its epitaph is one I have not seen before. Read it and you will understand why I think of this the "rainbow gravestone."
Ira Son Of Emness,
And Elizabeth Sali
sbury. Died. June 6
AD 1845, Aged 8 Years.
8 Mo
O what is life tis like the bow
That glisten in the sky
We love to see its colors glow
But while we look they die
Life fails as soon to day tis hear
To morrow it may disappear
The epitaph is from a poem by English poet Jane Taylor (b. 1783, d. 1824), who is perhaps most famous for having written the verse we know today as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
Here is the "rainbow" poem as it appeared in Meditations for the Sick by Jonathan Cole, published by James Munroe and Company in 1837:
Chester Baptist Cemetery, Morrow County, Ohio


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UnNews:North Korea to challenge USA to a game of battleships
This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-microsecond misinformation.
20 May 2010
PYONYANG, Peoples Republic of Korea -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has challenged the USA to a game of battleships in an attempt to humour the world and win a free trip to Disneyland.
The diminutive democratically elected dictator of North Korea claims that he has the right to go up against 'Uncle Sam' after beating South Korea in the previous international round of battleships. The South Koreans objected to President Kim Il sung's surprise game move to go sink one their ships the Cheonan for real. When South Korea asked for a replay, Kim Jong-il said he would order a missile attack - also for real.
This isn't the first time North Korea has attempted to change the rules of a game as they went along. In a recent game of monopoly, North Korea threatened to flatten Japan if they dared to build hotels on the squares they owned. Now North Korea has issued a challenge - and a piece of paper and pencil - to the Americans to see if they were up to 'the death struggle between Socialism and Imperialism'. This old fashioned 'analogue' approach has temporary confused the Americans who are too used to playing video games and will now have to contact retired naval veterans to make up a possible team.
In Washington news of the Kim Jong-Il's challenge is said to be at the stage of 'evaluation,consideration, mediation, inspiration..' and all other expressions to say 'We Haven't Got a Clue What To Do'. In the meantime, a 200,000 page dossier on the intricacies of 'How to Play Battleships' will be studied in sleep inducing detail.
- Kim Ber-Li Stew-Art "Are North Korea and USA to play Battleships to avert nuclear showdown?". Battleship Game Playing Today, 05 20, 2010


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I made this chicken for dinner and everyone LOVED it. There was not a morsel left. Preparation time-under 15 minutes.
1 teaspoon curry powder (curry is known to be great for brain health, and is said to help prevent Alzheimers)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm. You can slice, and serve.
3. Add apricot spread, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with lemon rind.
- Modern Gorgeous Challah Covers
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Courtesy of Myrecipes.com


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Nothing says rough-riding radio adventure like The Lone Ranger. And nothing says The Lone Ranger like Brace Beemer as the Masked Rider Of The Plains, John Todd as Tonto, and Fred Foy as your announcer!
Saddle up for twenty thrill-packed episodes of radio's favorite Western with the incorruptible hero who speaks with an air of authority, acts with unwavering integrity, and shoots with astonishing accuracy.
Includes a Program Guide by radio historian Elizabeth McLeod.
Episodes Include: The Stolen Stagecoach 06-26-53; Crisis at Elbow Bend 06-29-53; A Delay in Meeting 07-01-53; Babyface Robinson 07-03-53; The Inferno 07-06-53; The Not-Too-Secret Cave 07-08-53; Jornada Del Muerto 07-10-53; The Captive Ransom 07-13-53; Deception! 07-15-53; The Man Behind the Gang 07-20-53; Julie Brown's Dad 07-22-53; A Visitor From Mexico 07-24-53; Aftermath of the Little Big Horn 07-27-53; The Imposter 07-29-53; A Reward for Sam 08-05-53; Danger in the Night 08-07-53; A Man Missing 08-10-53; A Change of Brands 08-12-53; Strangers From the East 08-14-53; Dan Reid's Return 08-17-53
Related Products


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Film idea
Does that mean you've abandoned Mino2r?
A sequel to Lord of the Rings, called Sam's Pies.
How many endings will it have?
"And now, the shipping forecast..."Except instead of the weather it's a list featuring the unlikely romantic pairings of various fiction characters.I'm sure this has never been done as a sketch before but I haven't bothered checking to make sure.
I'm sorry to have to get all over your arse like this, but might you please supply an examples or two? Or I'll be forced to accuse you of having less than nothing. I suppose 'that's all I got' could potentially cover the case that your idea is so deficient that it consists of a negative amount of content, but I'm not sure that it's in the spirit of the thread.
Zippy and Bungle [etc]
Humber, Thames. Southeast veering southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Thundery showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Do you see my problems with what you've (not) done?
Zippy, Bungle. Thames television veering ITV 3 or 4, occasionally CITV later. Golden showers. Angst or humour, occasionally pornographic.
Page created in 0.108 seconds with 21 queries.


text:
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On the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Oldfields – Lilly House and Gardens, is decorated in the style of Christmas in the 1930s, when the mansion was the new home of Indianapolis businessman and philanthropist Josiah Lilly.
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Celebrated Scottsdale-based interior designer Anita Lang, founder of IMI Design, is hosting an exclusive, industry-only launch of Design 528, her new luxury furniture company, in Milan this April during the largest international furniture show: Salone Internazionale del Mobile.
Design 528 will unveil its first collection "The Planes," which features fifty pieces of top quality crafted furniture with options for beds, credenzas, nightstands, seating and tables available in exotic wood veneers and lavish metal finishes. The entire collection is handmade from sustainable materials by seasoned artisans in the United States.
"I feel extremely privileged to have been invited to introduce Design 528 to the design community at a world class industry event like Material Village," said Anita Lang, founder and CEO of Design 528. "This show is truly the global benchmark for the home furnishing sector and attracts thousands of visitors from around the world. What a great way to introduce our new line to the global design community."
Salone made its first appearance in 1961 and was originally designed to promote Italian furniture and furnishing accessories on the export market. Over the years it has continued to grow and expand attracting the finest designers, architects and innovators from all over the world to share ideas and showcase their products.
Design 528 was invited to participate among the sponsor of the Materials Village, a brand new concept from Material ConneXion Italia – a renowned center of research on materials and innovative and sustainable production processes.
Material ConneXion created the 2014 Materials Village as a platform of events and initiatives dedicated to promote the culture of materials and related manufacturing companies.
"We are delighted to have Design 528 among the sponsors of our Materials Village in Milan this year," said Michael LaGreca, Vice President of Library Access & Academic Programs at the Material ConneXion. "Materials Village 2014 will be an amazing showcase of talent and innovation."
The Materials Village format is an innovative layout featuring houses of various dimensions and configurations, with exhibition spaces and social events, created in the gardens of the prestigious La Triennale Museum.
Design 528 is not only a furniture company; it is a holistic business with a mission to elevate the human spirit through the design and creation of functional pieces of lifestyle artwork. These handcrafted pieces will inspire people to live in the present while bringing prestige and excitement to the luxury furniture industry.
The design style personifies the concept of evoking positive emotions and simultaneously incorporates a heart-focused business model into the company's strategic plan. As a result, Design 528 aims to create a lasting, positive impact on not just its clientele, but also on the company's employees, partners and on the global community at large.
After the industry launch in Milan, Design 528 will celebrate an official launch on May 28, 2014. The furniture collections will be available exclusively through design showrooms in North America and Europe. Created for an elite clientele that seeks to augment their furniture collection with distinctive pieces, the "Planes Collection" will debut this May with prices ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.


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America the Beautiful
Item #: GI2394
All Products
(2 Total)
View by Size:
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|In a society where "celebutantes" like Paris Hilton dominate newsstands and models who weigh less than 90 pounds die from malnutrition, female body image is one of the more dire problems facing today's society. "America the Beautiful" illuminates the issue by covering every base. Child models, plastic surgery, celebrity worship, airbrushed advertising, dangerous cosmetics - no rock is left unturned.
|Directed by:
|Darryl Roberts
|Ted Casablanca, Eve Ensler, Paris Hilton, Chris Keefe


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Matwick: Fan experience must be 'championship-level'
VP of business ops sits down with MLB.com to address the state of the organization
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- When Nolan Ryan departed from the Rangers after last season, they were left without a club president overseeing all aspects of the organization.
While Jon Daniels carries the official title of president of baseball operations, Rob Matwick has assumed responsibility of the opposite side as executive vice president for business operations. Previously, Matwick was in charge of ballpark operations at Globe Life Park in Arlington, a job Ryan hired him for in 2008.
For Presidents Day, the Rangers vice president for business operations answered a few questions about what's going on with the organization off the field.
MLB.com: From a business side, it appears the Rangers are in good shape going into the season. What are your feelings on that?
Matwick: I do feel good about where we are, heading into the season. However, I also know there is still plenty of work to be done before Opening Day and then hopefully the seven months that follow. Like every organization, we're working hard on renewing our season ticket base and building that total.
Our partnership sales team did a great job in securing a naming rights agreement with Globe Life, which has provided a huge lift for the organization. We're looking forward to growing our relationship with Globe Life. Supporting our community initiatives is a big part of the naming rights agreement, and we believe the relationship has tremendous potential.
For the fourth year in a row, our ownership has given us the ability to make improvements around the ballpark. We're busy finishing that work, while also working on marketing, promotions and getting our ballpark staff in place and ready for training. It's non-stop, but it's the second-best time of the year, next to October.
MLB.com: How has your job changed since assuming oversight of the business side of the franchise?
Matwick: With a background in media relations and ballpark operations, I'm used to being engaged with a wide range of people inside and outside the organization, from the top to bottom. I believe that experience has served me well. I'm working with a larger circle of people inside the building, and increasing my involvement in the community. I also have a great opportunity to be more engaged with our ownership group, and I appreciate that very much.
MLB.com: Who are you relying on most to keep the franchise running smoothly?
Matwick: It takes every person in the organization pulling in the same direction. We have a great staff, and I appreciate the effort that each person brings to the ballpark every day. I don't believe there are any shortcuts to success in our business. It's positive attitude, a commitment to serving our customers, making a difference in the community and a lot of hard work. The demands of our season require us to support each other, and I believe we do that very well. Our internal communication is critical. When we're all on the same page, we convey a strong, positive message to our fans.
After Nolan departed in October, our co-chairman, Ray Davis, stepped in and has become very involved in our day-to-day operation. His presence and business acumen has kept the organization moving forward. Ray, Mr. [Bob] Simpson and Neil Leibman provide the global direction for our franchise. Our executive staff works together under their leadership to carry out the mission.
Among that team, I work very closely with Kellie Fischer, our CFO. Her institutional knowledge and command of our finances is invaluable to everyone in the organization. John Blake has been a friend and professional colleague for the 29 years I've been in Major League Baseball. He is the hardest working and most knowledgeable media relations professional I've ever known. His counsel and understanding of media, broadcasting and community issues is second to none. Paige Farragut [of ticket sales], Joe Januszewski [of business partnerships] and Jay Miller [of enterprises] lead the groups that drive our revenues.
Under their leadership, we're consistently taking this organization to levels we might not have thought possible just six years ago when I arrived. Jim Sundberg leads the Texas Rangers Foundation, our Alumni Legacy program, and all of the activities at our Youth Ballpark, which touch so many lives each year. Then there's Chuck Morgan and his group, creating the atmosphere on game days. When I hear his voice reminding me that it's "Baseball time in Texas," all is right with our world.
My first month in baseball, in October of 1985, Dick Wagner sat me down and explained that the field is our stage, and while we can't control the outcome of the game, we can control everything that takes place outside the lines. We're fortunate to have Jon Daniels and Thad Levine building our baseball operation and providing us their insights as part of our executive staff. On the business side, we need to strive for excellence in everything that we do and deliver championship caliber service to every person or group we're in contact with.
MLB.com: Globe Life Park in Arlington turns 20 this year. What shape do you think the facility is in, and what more would you like to do with it?
Matwick: As we complete our round of renovations this year, we're looking at the restaurant space at the top of the Upper Home Run Porch as a possible target for work next offseason. It's a credit to our ownership and our partners at Delaware North-Sportservice for what we've accomplished over the past three years.
The building in general is in very good shape. We've greatly improved our food and beverage, and retail operations with the upgrades. However, I also think we've done some very practical things for fans. The Batter's Eye Club, Captain Morgan Club and Kids Zone gave us three new spaces, which are all conditioned for year-round use. The decked areas on either side of the Batter's Eye Club provide shade or protection from the rain.
By reconfiguring the visiting bullpen, we resolved what had been a terrible choke point for fans trying to get to our team store, or simply moving around the concourse. The improvement and expansion of the Capital One Club, addition of the Pro Shop and two new free-standing concession stands last winter allows us to better serve our customers in the home plate area.
As we wind down this year's projects, we'll evaluate what's left to be done. Our goal would be to prepare a recommendation for ownership review at some point, most likely in June.
MLB.com: What is your main focus otherwise in enhancing the fan experience?
Matwick: We're in the business of making memories and doing as much as we can to enhance the gameday experience. By its nature, baseball is a very social sport. We have natural pauses between pitches, between batters and between innings. These breaks allow families and friends to talk to each other, but they also give us the opportunity to connect with our fans.
When we installed our new video board and control room after 2010, we gave Chuck a whole new set of tools to work with, and he has delivered. Sherry Flow, who works closely with Chuck on our promotions and gameday experience, has done a great job of creating opportunities for fans to get involved in our pregame and between-innings spots.
Their creativity never ceases to amaze me. Becky Kimbro (Marketing) and Kaylan Eastepp (Social Media) play the key roles in our messaging and integration with MLBAM on emerging technologies in the ballpark. BAM has the I-Beacon implementation underway this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that will allow us to influence consumer behavior.
Additionally, Karin Morris (Foundation/Community Outreach) does a great job in the community. However, what really makes a difference is when we can bring those community groups to the ballpark. There is no substitute for experiencing Rangers baseball in person. Taunee Taylor (Player Relations) then works with our players to create opportunities for them to engage with our fans.
MLB.com: You have drawn 3 million fans in each of the last two seasons. Do you think that has become the norm for the franchise?
Matwick: Drawing three million fans has certainly become our expectation. We appreciate the support from our fans in North Texas and in our five-state territory, but it's important that we always look for opportunities to expand our brand presence beyond that area. We've seen the impact internationally with the arrival of Yu Darvish. The additions of Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo this winter have created great buzz about our team, and we're seeing those positive results in our ticket, sponsorship and retail sales heading into the season.
Part of my role is to listen and pay careful attention to what our fans, staff, ownership and the community is telling us about how we're running our organization. There's nothing better than success on the field, but our performance outside the lines is how the business side of the operation is judged. Our goal is to deliver at a championship level every day.


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Virgin Blue Announces Flights From Whitsunday Coast
Virgin Blue has today announced it will begin services between the Whitsunday Coast Airport (Proserpine) and Melbourne from the 8th of May, following huge demand for a direct flight between the two locations.
The weekly direct flight will operate on Saturdays, the highest peak demand day for travellers who are heading off for a week's holiday or to visit family and friends.
Virgin Blue will be the only airline to offer the non-stop flight and will introduce the service after it identified a large number of people booking connecting flights between Melbourne and the Whitsunday Coast.
Chief Executive Brett Godfrey said, "We've been tracking the trends for a few months and it's clear to us that Saturday's are the day when Guests want to travel to these hugely popular destinations."
He added, "We wanted to make it more convenient as well as affordable and if the ongoing demand is there, we will look at increasing the number of flights."
To celebrate Virgin Blue's newest route, the airline is offering one of its "wow" special fares of $149* one-way on the net, available now until March 28 2004 for travel between 8 May and 19 June 2004.
Virgin Blue's Mid-Week Mini-Fares for travel via Brisbane start from $179* one-way on the net, with a Fully Flexible Virgin Blue fare of $399* one-way, 42% cheaper than the Qantas equivalent. Regular lead-in fares start from $199* on the web.
He continued, "It's amazing to think that this time last year we weren't even operating into the Whitsunday Coast, and now here we are adding our 9th weekly service and our third non-stop destination."
Daily connecting flights via Brisbane will provide travellers with the option of returning whatever day they choose if the direct Saturday flight doesn't suit their schedule.
"We hope our convenient connections will provide flyers with a seamless and hassle free travel experience as we don't think it's quite fair that when Jetstar replaces Qantas' services into the Whitsunday Coast, travellers will have to collect and re-check in their baggage in Brisbane."
Virgin Blue's new flight means yet another North Queensland holiday option for Melbourne based people and a great excuse to set sail in the stunning Whitsunday's region or escape the upcoming winter chill by planning a tropical island holiday.
For Whitsunday locals, it means the opportunity to pop to Melbourne for some shopping, skiing or theatre while still having both time and money to spare when they arrive there.
It is also expected to be a boost to Whitsunday tourism which has been enjoying additional demand following the launch of Virgin Blue flights less than a year ago.
* All fares are for flights booked on the Internet. $10 more by phone. The $149 launch fare offer is on sale from today until 28 March 2004 and is for travel from 8 May to 19 June 2004 and is only available for travel on the new direct service. Mid-Week Mini-Fares are for travel on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Fares are subject to availability and may not be available on all flights or peak days.